German Foreign Intelligence Accuses Russia of Waging a 'Shadow War' Against Germany
Berlin, Oct 5 (KUNA) -- Martin Seiwert, head of Germany’s Foreign Intelligence Service (BND), warned on Monday that Russia currently poses the greatest threat to Germany, describing Moscow’s actions as a “shadow war” against the country. Speaking in a public hearing before the parliamentary oversight committee of the Bundestag, Seiwert said that Germany and Europe need to bolster their resilience against Russian threats, not only militarily but also in the intelligence domain.
He noted that there are currently no indications that Russia is preparing for a large-scale attack on North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) countries, but cautioned that Moscow might carry out limited military operations, particularly in the Baltic Sea region. Seiwert did not rule out the possibility of Russia conducting “false flag” operations—covert attacks designed to appear as though they were carried out by another party.
The official emphasized that, under current conditions, intelligence agencies constitute the first line of defense for Germany and Europe. He pointed out that Russian tactics in the war against Ukraine have escalated significantly since summer, and that the conflict has entered a new, highly dangerous phase. According to Seiwert, Russian President Vladimir Putin has reached a point where he cannot simply end the war without jeopardizing his own authority, adding that Putin needs to achieve a victory to justify the losses suffered by the Russian armed forces in recent years.
For his part, Sinan Selen, head of the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (Germany’s domestic intelligence agency), said in the same hearing that attacks on Germany are happening now, not only in 2029, referencing assessments that suggest Russia may regain the capability to launch a large-scale attack against NATO in the near future. Selen warned that Russia has shown readiness to use sabotage, assassinations, and media disinformation, citing the incident in early August when German authorities found a drone at Leipzig airport near Ukrainian cargo planes.
He added that German security services have already achieved successes in thwarting some threats, but the situation is becoming more complex, necessitating an enhancement of Germany’s intelligence capabilities to keep pace with those of other European countries. (End)
